An important priority for businesses working with food and other related products, commercial refrigeration maintenance is essential in ensuring the future operations of your business, reducing the risk of breakdowns and expensive repairs. Without regular commercial refrigerator maintenance, company owners run a serious risk of breakdowns occurring in the future, leading to a disruption or potential loss in business that can have a lasting impact on the future of your company.
When Is Commercial Refrigeration Needed?
Carrying out regular refrigeration maintenance is essential at the best of times, but realistically, it should be performed at least twice a year to ensure you are on top of any potential issues or repair works required before they ultimately lead to serious problems, or worse, breakdowns. Dismissing commercial refrigeration can have lasting impacts on your business, heavily affecting the quantities of food or goods you can store, then later sell, for profit. There are several symptoms one should be aware of when it comes to knowing when your commercial refrigerator needs maintenance work, and below, we take a closer look at just some of the vital signs to look out for.
Inconsistent Temperatures
If your commercial fridge is showing signs of inconsistent temperatures, fluctuating between too cold or too hot, you could be placing your customers at risk of foodborne illnesses, with many foods requiring consistent temperatures to remain fresh and therefore safe for consumption. If you find frost developing or, in opposite terms, notice that your fridge is failing to reach a cold enough temperature to keep your food fresh, there is very likely an issue with your commercial fridge.
Ice Forming
As suggested, ice developing around your refrigerator door, interior or evaporator coils are a telltale sign that your fridge is no longer maintaining a consistent enough temperature to prevent this from happening. Oftentimes, this is simply due to inadequate airflow because the fridge is overloaded, causing the fan to become blocked, therefore preventing circulation. However, ice forming can also be an indicator of a more serious issue with either the fan or the generator. Try rearranging the items inside your fridge to free up the fan and improve the airflow and see if this helps, if it doesn’t, you may require the advice and inspection of a professional.
Broken Door Seal
Commercial fridges require door seals to help maintain their temperature, sealing in the cold air and preventing leaks. When the door seal is damaged or worn, however, warm air will find its way inside your fridge, potentially leading to food spoilage and wasted energy, which can have a dramatic impact on your bills. It’s essential you check the function of your refrigerator door soil regularly, to ensure it’s operating effectively, and your temperature is consistent at all times.
Leaking Water
Keeping a close eye on the area around your commercial refrigerator will ensure you are continuously on top of any potential water leaks that may have occurred. Fridge leaks typically happen when the refrigerator overheats, but can also be caused by electrical malfunctions, in either case, a leaking fridge is a serious risk for customers or kitchen staff and must be switched off and checked for faults at the earliest opportunity.
Increased Energy Bills
When a commercial fridge is failing to perform to its optimum levels of efficiency, particularly if the air is escaping through a faulty door seal, or temperatures remain inconsistent due to a damaged or blocked fan, your energy bills will likely increase. This is due to the sizable amount of energy wasted in an attempt to make up for the loss of efficiency, working harder to maintain a cold temperature consistently.
Strange Noises
It’s important to remember that even though most fridges will make a low humming noise when in operation, unusually loud or disruptive sounds can be a sign of something far more serious. Should you hear a buzzing, clattering, dripping or a humming sound suddenly appear, then there is likely a problem with your commercial refrigerator.
The Benefits of Commercial Refrigeration
As suggested, carrying out maintenance work prevents minor issues from developing into something far more sinister, reducing the risk of breakdowns and a loss of business. Here, we analyse the major benefits of carrying out regular maintenance work on your commercial refrigeration system.
Identify Issues
A key advantage of having inspections performed on your commercial fridge is to identify any potential issues or serious maintenance work required. Carrying out regular examinations, cleaning and maintenance will help identify typically unseen or otherwise ignored issues, such as dirt and grime build-up, or problems with overheating, aiding the longevity of your commercial refrigerator.
Reduced Breakdown Risk
Regular commercial refrigeration maintenance helps prevent potential breakdowns in the future, which can be extremely costly, particularly if vital components are damaged or need replacement. Not only will breakdowns likely lead to costly replacements, but they will also cause severe disruption to your productivity, potentially damaging your business as a whole.
Prevent Illness
An oft-overlooked advantage of carrying out regular maintenance work on your commercial refrigerator is the protection against bacteria and fungi provided by inspection and cleaning. During commercial refrigeration maintenance, the necessary parts of your refrigerator system are treated with a chemical that helps protect against the impacts of salmonella, listeria and legionella, among others.
Minimise Downtime
A commercial refrigerator that requires repairs, or extensive maintenance work after an inspection, will result in serious interruptions to your business with extended downtime required whilst essential fixes are carried out. Having a consistent maintenance schedule that is strictly adhered to will help minimise the risk of severe breakdowns occurring, with minor issues no longer going unnoticed for extended periods of time. We recommend you have your commercial refrigerator inspected once every six months to prevent small issues from escalating into something far more severe.
Reduce Costs
Not only will regular maintenance and inspection work on the condition of your comme4rcial refrigerator reduce the amount of downtime spent waiting for repairs or replacements to happen, but it will also reduce the costs associated with these risks. Instead of waiting for severe breakdowns, which will result in heavy expenditure, you are far better served to maintain your commercial refrigerator regularly, to make small inexpensive fixes as and when required.
Improve Longevity
Maintenance work will help ensure the components of your refrigerator are functioning correctly and are not noticeably damaged or require replacement. Prevention is always better than a cure, and this is no different when it comes to maintaining your commercial refrigerator, with regular inspection and repairs helping to extend the lifespan of your refrigerator system, preventing breakdowns and improving longevity.
How Can Mitchell’s Help?
At Mitchell’s, our team is expertly placed to assist with several different refrigerator-related services across many different industries. We aim to provide maintenance and repair work for the following:
- Retail Fridges
- Commercial Refrigeration Services for Supermarkets
- Commercial Catering Fridges
- Commercial Restaurant Fridges
- Cold Rooms for Industrial Facilities
- Product Display Refrigerators
- Walk-in Freezers
We can provide the maintenance, repair or replacements required for the above, with expert, professional advice carried out by our fully qualified engineers and support team.
Mitchell’s – The Experts in Commercial Refrigeration
If you require commercial refrigeration services in Gloucester, look no further than Mitchell’s. We’re industry experts in this area and we always place our customers at the centre of everything that we do to provide them with the best service possible. Whether you’re a caterer requiring a catering fridge in Gloucester or a retailer requiring a retail fridge, Mitchell’s are the best-placed company to help you. We can also assist with the installation of commercial refrigeration systems as part of a larger building or construction plan. Mitchell’s excel at project management, and we’ll minimise the impact of our own installation works on your timeline. We can work with your project manager or assume this role ourselves. Just let us know how you’d like to proceed. Contact us today.